7 July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge Incident ("First China Incident"):
Hun River, Lukuokiao, China. Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) troops on night maneuvers at the Marco Polo Bridge fire blank cartridges. Chinese troops across
the river think they are under attack. They fire live rounds back, but do not cause injuries. At morning roll call, the Japanese discover a soldier missing and assume the Chinese have captured him. The Japanese demand entry to the Peiping (Beijing) suburb of Wanping to look for the soldier, but the Chinese refuse. The Japanese then shell the city. An undeclared war on China begins.

At about 1915, MEIU MARU sinks. She was carrying a battalion of the IJA 6th Infantry Division’s 23rd Regiment, a crew of about 100 men and 70 gunners
plus 40 horses. About 400 soldiers are KIA and one crewman.

SURABAYA MARU is hit portside forward. She takes on a list and begins to sink by the stern. She is carrying 1,120 men of the 6th Infantry Division, a
medical unit and others, a crew of 72 men and 35 gunners. 462 soldiers are KIA and Captain Kobayashi and 36 other crewmen.